Adjustable seat-post for bicycles



N0. Gl7,83l. Patented lan. l7, I899. U. S. IRISH & P. V. MARKELL.ADJUSTABLE SEAT POST FOR BIGYCLES.

(Application filed. Oct. 4, 1898.)

2 Sheets-Sheat I.

(No Model.)

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IRISH & P. v. MARKELL.

ADJUSTABLE SEAT POST FUR BIGYCLES.

(Application filed Oct. 4, 19a.

2 SheetsSheet 2.

(No Model.)

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NITED STATES FFICEE.

PATENT CHARLES S. IRISH AND PETER V. MARKELL, OF JORDAN, NEXV YORK.

ADJUSTABLE SEAT-POST FOR BICYCLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent 1%. 617,831, dated January17, 1899.

Application filed October 4:, 1898- To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES S. IRISH and PETER V. MARKELL, citizens ofthe United States, and residents of Jordan, in the county of Onondaga,in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements inAdjustable Seat-Posts for Bicycles, of which the following, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

This invention relates to the adjustable attachment of the seat-post andanalogous members to the tubular members of a bicycleframe.

The object of the invention is to provide an adjustable attachment whichshall be efficient in its operation and permit the adjustment v to beeffected in a most expeditious and con- I venient manner; and to thatend the invention consists in the novel construction and combination ofparts hereinafter described, and summed up in the claims.

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of the top portion of aseat-post embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinalsection of said seat-post and its attachment to the bicycle-frame. Fig.3 is a transverse section on line X X in Fig. 2-. Fig. 4 is a detachedside view of the lower end portion of the seat-post. Fig. 5 is aVertical transverse sectional view of our invention applied to theattachment of the handle-bar stem to the fork-stem of a bicycle. Fig. 6is a top plan view of the same, and Fig. 7 is a vertical transversesection on line Y Y in Fig. 5.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

It is apparent that our invention is applicable to the attachments ofboth the seat-post and the handle-bar stem.

Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, illustrate the invention applied to theattachment of the seatpost a, which consists of a metal tube insertedinto the upper end of the hollow standard b of the bicycle-frame Theinner or lower end of said tube is made expansible by longitudi nalslits c 0, extending part way the length of the tube, and bylongitudinal upwardly-ta- Serial No. 692,658- (No model.)

e. These ribs we form by correspondinglyshaped longitudinal inwarddepressions cl d made in the exterior of the tube, preferably by meansof a suitable die or dies.

The expander e consists of an annular plate or collar provided in itscenter with a screwthreaded eye, by which it is adj ustably connected tothe correspondingly screw-threaded lower end of a rod f, which isdisposed in the axis of the tube c and has its upper end alsoscrew-threaded and adjustably secured in a correspondingly-threadedsocket in the lower end of a hanger g, connected to the seat-supportingarm h. This arm is fulcrumed or pivoted at h to one end of a transversehead a formed on the upper end of the tube Cb, which head is provided inits top with a longitudinal groove, in which the arm lies when in itsnormal position, as shown. The under side of the arm It has projectingfrom it a perforated ear i, to which the hanger g is hinged or pivotallyconnected, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

The adjustable connection of the expander e to the rod f and theadjustable attachment of said rod to the hanger g afford a doubleadjustment of the expander e to insure positive and effective engagementof the same with the ribs (1 cl in the sides of the interior of theexpansible end of the tube a, and thereby efiectually expand the same toobtain the requisite frictional hold on the standard 6 to. retain thetube or seat-post a in its adjusted position.

Said seat-post is adjusted to carry the seatsupporting arm h at greateror less elevation by lifting the free end of said arm, which is therebycaused to draw up the expander e by means of the rod f. This upwardmovement of the expander allows the lower end of the tube or seat-post ato contract and lose its frictional hold on the standard I). Saidseatpost can then be either lifted or depressed to carry theseat-supporting arm at its desired elevation, and when this is effectedthe seatpost is fastened in the standard by depressing the free end ofthe seatsupporting arm, which by means of the rod fforces the expanderdown and causes the same to expand the lower end portion of the tube orseat-post by pressure 011 the ribs 01 d.

To retain the seat-supporting arm 7; in its normal position and preventaccidental loosening of the seat-post in the standard, we employ asuitable lock, preferably of the form of a hook-shaped catch 3',attached to the tube a and having its hook end passing through anaperture j in the arm 71 and engaging the inner side of a socket lformed in said arm. Said socket extends through the free end of the armand contains a push-bar Z for pushing the hook of the catch j out ofengagement when desired to release the arm and allowit to be adjusted,as hereinbefore described. The socket Z is enlarged at the free end ofthe arm, as shown at 1. to accommodate a head Z on the end of thepush-bar. A spiral spring m, interposed between the said head and innerend of the enlargement l forces the pushbar back from engagement withthe catch j. A contraction Z of the outer end of the socket enlargementprevents the push 7 bar from dropping out of the socket. Saidcontraction is made by upsetting or compressing the outer end of the arm72. after the push-bar Z is inserted into said arm.

In applying our invention to the attachment of the tubular handle-barstem to the fork-stem n we provide the lower end portion of the stem 70with the longitudinal slits c c and intermediate tapering ribs d cl,substantially like the seat-post a, as hereinbefore described, and usein connection therewith the expander 6, connected to the lower end ofthe rod j, which is connected at its upper end to the tubular arm 0,pivoted at one end, as shown at 0', to a transverse head 7c formed onthe upper end ,of the handle-bar stem 70'.

0 denotes the handle-bar, which is secured in the tubular arm 0. Thehead 70 is formed with a groove 19, extending through the top of saidhead and containing the arm 0, which is thus allowed to be swung on itspivot to move the expander eto and from its tube-expanding position inadjusting the arm 0 to a greater or less elevation in the same manner asthe seat-supporting arm, as hereinbefore described. Beneath the pivot 0the head It has an opening 0 to permit the arm 0 to be swung on itspivot, as aforesaid.

For locking the arm 0 in its normal position we employ the spring-catch1', which is rigidly secured at one end in a countersink o" in the topof the arm 0 and passes with its free end down through enlarged passagesin the said arm and in the handle-bar and bottom of the head 70 andengages by its hook end the under side of said head, as shown in Fig. 5of the drawings. The lower protruding end of said catch is provided witha knob or thumb-piece t, by which to press the catch out of engagementwhen desired.

D represents the so-called head of the bicycle-frame, in which head thefork-stem n is pivoted in the usualand well-known manner.

hat we claim as our invention is 1. In combination with a hollow framemember, an expansible tube in said member, said tube formed in one pieceand with a head on its outer end, an arm fulcrumed on said head and anexpander disposed inside of the tube and operated by said arm as setforth.

2. In combination with a hollow frame member, an expansible tube in saidmember and having fixed toits outer end a transverse head grooved in itsouter face, an arm pivoted to one end of said head and lying in thegroove thereof, an expander disposed inside of the aforesaid tube and arod connecting said expander to the arm as set forth.

3. In combination with a hollow frame member, an expansible tube in saidmember and provided with a rigid transverse head on its outer end, anarm fulcrumed on one end of said head, a rod connected longitudinallyadjustable to said arm and extending into the aforesaid tube lengthwisethereof, and an expander connected to the inner end of said rod as setforth.

4:. In combination with a hollow frame member, an expansible tube insaid member and provided with a rigid transverse head on its outer end,an arm fulcrumed on one end of said head, a rod ad justably connected tosaid arm to extend a greater or less distance into the tube and havingits inner end screwthreaded and a tube-expander adj ustably connected tothe inner end of said arm as set forth.

' 5. In combination with a hollow frame member, an expansible tubeinside of said member slitted longitudinally at its inner end and formedwith longitudinal inward depressions in its wall, and an expander insaid tube bearing on said depressions as set forth.

6. In combination with a hollow frame member, an expansible tube in saidmember slitted longitudinally at its inner end and formed withlongitudinal inward depressions tapering in depth toward one end, anexpander movable longitudinally in said tube and means for forcing saidexpander onto the aforesaid depressions and thereby expand the tubes asset forth.

7. In combination with a hollow standard, a tubular seat-post insertedin said standard and slitted longitudinally at its inner end and formedwith a head on its outer end, a seat-supporting arm pivoted to saidhead, a rod connected to said arm and extending into the aforesaidseat-post, an expander on the inner end of said rod and a lock retainingthe aforesaid arm in its normal position as set forth.

8. In combination with the hollow frame member, an expansible tube insaid member and formed at its outer end with a transverse head groovedlengthwise and provided with an aperture through its wall, an armpivoted to one end of said head and lying in the groove thereof, a catchattached to the said arm and passing through the aforesaid aperture andengaging the exterior of the head, an expander in the tube and a rodconnecting said expander to the arm as set forth.

9. In combination with the hollow frame member, an expansible tube insaid member and formed with a transverse head on its outer end, an armpivoted to one end of said head and provided with a perforated earprojecting toward the axis of the tube, a hanger pivoted to said ear andprovided with a screwthreaded socket in its lower end, a rod disposed inthe axis of the tube and having its end portions screw-threaded andadjustably secured in the aforesaid hanger and the tube-expanding collarprovided with a screwthreaded eye and adj ustably connected there by tothe inner end of the aforesaid rod as set forth.

10. In combination with the hollow frame member, an expansible tube insaid member and formed with a transverse head on its outer end, an armpivoted to one end of said head and provided with a longitudinal socketin its opposite end portion and with an aperture in the wall of saidsocket, a spring-catch attached to the aforesaid tube and extendingthrough said aperture and engaging the inner wall of the socket, andalongitudinally-movable bar in the said socket for throwing theaforesaid catch out of engagement as set forth.

CHARLES s. IRISH. [L. s.] PETER v. MARKELL. LL. s.]

Witnesses:

EUGENE E. MANN, WILLIAM F. JAYNE.

